Kintsugi Workshop: Learn the Traditional Japanese Craft of Pottery Repair

An award-winning master shares his methods through in-depth workshops

Kintsugi is the traditional Japanese art of repairing broken and chipped pottery using lacquer mixed with gold powder. The origin of kintsugi is said to date back to the Muromachi period (1336-1573), when the art of tea ceremony flourished. Kintsugi, a technique which beautifully highlights the damages rather than hides them, embodies the aesthetic of wabi-sabi, a tradition of accepting and finding beauty in transience and imperfection.

Showzi Tsukamoto is a kintsugi master who has been working in the art since 1972. Appreciate his wisdom and skills by trying your hand at kintsugi with the gold joinery workshop. Your broken pottery will be given a new lease of life. These range from 1-day workshop, to master classes that take place over 6 or 12 days. The workshops are very hands-on, and include an introduction to the philosophy behind this art. After the workshop, participants will take home their very own piece of kintsugi pottery, soba-cup pottery, mended with Japanese lacquer and 24k gold.

All the workshops take place at the artist’s studio in Tokyo, in Japanese with an interpreter. Necessary tools and materials are provided.

Access: Take the local train from Tokyo Station to Higashi-Nagasaki Station (about 30 minutes).

Contribution to Sustainability

Kintsugi—a restorative practice using precious metals—is a centuries-old technique that has been handed down over generations. Not only is this traditional technique an invaluable cultural property, but it also embodies the spirit of sustainability, encouraging visitors to care for their belongings, instead of simply disposing of them and buying new. Showzi Tsukamoto has been passing down this practice for more than 20 years　at this workshop, and is passionate about sharing it with the world.